Thousands registered as 'City Owners'

KARACHI - Thousands of people from a cross section of the society thronged Civic Centre on the Independence Day to get "City Owners" cards as registered volunteers. Nazim Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal was the first to get this card followed by the District Coordination Officer (DCO) Javed Hanif while getting in a cueue with other aspirants. Naib Nazim, town nazims, councilors, leading industrialists and businessmen, office bearers and members of Pakistan Art Council, senior police officials, vice chancellor Baqai University, sportsman and olympians, artists, performers and entertainers, youth, workers, pushcard vendors, taxi drivers, Pesh Imams of mosques also get registration as city volunteers and obtained their membership cards from CDGK. Nazim Karachi personaly interviewed the candidates, inquiring about the area of interest. More than 4000 temporary city owners cards were issued to people by 6 O'clock as enthusiastic volunteers were still waiting in long queue. Permanent cards will be issued after assessing the performance of the registered volunteers in next three months. "I am moved to see such an enthusiasm of the people of cross section of the society. This has encouraged us. This is a clear evidence of the fact that people still have the spirit of feeling responsibility and doing service. We cannot give a gift better than this (city owners card) to the people on the Independence Day", said Mustafa Kamal while talking to media after receiving his membership card. He noted that people have overwhelmingly responded to his appeal and without any proper publicity, they have flocked Civic Centre and lined up in long queues to get registered as city volunteers. He said city government has build the infrastructure facilities including flyovers, roads in the metropolis, planted trees, developed parks and laid sewerage system. This is now the duty of Karachiittes to protect all these facilities by spending at least two hours as volunteers to ensure that these assets are not damaged. We can plant trees but cannot ensure their growth. We can build a modern bus stop waiting area but cannot place a guard to ensure that nobody spit pan there. People should protect them and use them as civilised citizens. He said that these cards are issued to every citizen irrespective of his affiliation, whether he is rich or poor, minister of nazim, industrialist or worker, shopkeeper or thella wala (vendor), provided he is willing to look after the assets of the metropolis as its owner. "No city or country can be run without citizen's ownership", he noted. He said these cards will create a sense of belonging and ownership among the citizen and more people will be joining this team of volunteers.